PREVIEW GAME #38 Canadiens @ Nashville (Dec. 21/2013)

….. The Canadiens have lost four of their past six games and have scored only seven goals in the stretch.

……Brendan Gallagher’s goal in St. Louis Thursday was the only one scored 5-on-5 in the last six games

…..The Canadiens have also not scored a first period goal in the last eight games. During that stretch they have been outscored 8-0 and outshot 86-58. After trailing only six times at the end of the first period through the first 29 games, they were behind in five of the last eight.

…..Daniel Briere is expected back in the Canadiens lineup and on a line with Lars Eller and Rene Bourque. Briere has no points his last eleven games.

….. Carey Price made 35 saves in the october 2-1 loss against the Predators. He has a career 0-3-0 record against Nashville with a 2.35GAA.

…..With Pekka Rinne out with a bacterial infection in his hip goaltending has been a problem in Nashville.Marek Mazanec has allowed nine goals in his past two starts, while Carter Hutton was pulled Thursday in Tampa after allowing four goals on 14 shots.

….. The Predators are the lowest scoring team in the Western Conference with 80 goals. . Nashville, has scored more than three goals once in eight December games.

……Nashville has scored a power-play goal in each of its last four games.

…….The Canadiens have allowed three goals on 51 times short-handed in road games this season, the fewest in the league.

…. Montreal has not recorded a regulation win in Nashville since March 10, 2003. The Canadiens have scored only three goals in losing three of the last four against them.

….. Montreal has dropped four of six, scoring one goal or none in five of those contests.

…….P.K. Subban has two assists over his last nine games.

…….The Canadiens have killed off 37 of 38 penalties over their last 13 games, They’ve taken ten penalties over the last two games including twice when Brandon Prust was handed double minors.

……Nashville has dropped two straight following a three-game winning streak, falling 3-1 to Chicago on Tuesday and 4-2 to TampaBay on Thursday.

…..The Predators are 3-0-1 in its past four versus Montreal and 3-1-2 with a tie all-time against the franchise at home

Projected Nashville Lineup

24-Eric Nystrom 12-Mike Fisher 25-Viktor Stalberg

33-Colin Wilson 7-Matt Cullen 15-Craig Smith

13-Nick Spaling 11-David Legwand 27-Patric Hornqvist

16-Richard Clune 28-Paul Gaustad 26-Matt Hendricks

6-Shea Weber 59-Roman Josi

4-Ryan Ellis 8-Kevin Klein

3-Seth Jones 64-Victor Bartley

39-Marek Mazanec

Game Statistics –

Season Records –Canadiens(21-13-3) Nashville (16-16-5)

Last Ten Games – Canadiens (6-4-0) Nashville3-6-1

Season Series – Second of two games. @Bell Centre Oct. 19 Nashville-2 Canadiens-1.